S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4645
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BOLOGNA -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  authorizing
   the  issuance  of  distinctive  license  plates  for family members of
   volunteer or paid professional firefighters who died in  the  line  of
   duty

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 404-ff to read as follows:
   §  404-FF.  DISTINCTIVE LICENSE PLATES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF VOLUNTEER
 OR PAID PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.  1.  FOR
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "FAMILY MEMBERS OF A VOLUNTEER OR PAID PROFES-
 SIONAL  FIREFIGHTER  WHO  DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY" SHALL MEAN A SPOUSE,
 REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNER, PARENT, SIBLING OR CHILD OF A VOLUNTEER  OR
 PAID PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER WHO DIED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT
 OR PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES AS A FIREFIGHTER.
   2.  ANY  FAMILY MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER OR PAID PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER
 WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AND WHO RESIDES IN THIS STATE  SHALL,  UPON
 REQUEST, BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE LICENSE PLATE BEARING THE WORDS "SURVI-
 VOR  OF THE BRAVEST" OF A DESIGN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER.  APPLICA-
 TION FOR SUCH LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED WITH THE COMMISSIONER IN SUCH
 FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE AND SHALL  BE  VERI-
 FIED ANNUALLY BY THE APPLICANT.
   3.  A DISTINCTIVE PLATE AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY  TO  THE  COMMISSIONER,
 THAT  THE  APPLICANT  IS  A FAMILY MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER OR PAID PROFES-
 SIONAL FIREFIGHTER WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
   4. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
 IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON PAYMENT  OF  THE  REGULAR
 REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03548-02-5
              

 A. 4645                             2
 
 PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-
 FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR  SUCH  PLATE.    SUCH  ANNUAL  SERVICE
 CHARGE  SHALL  BE  DEPOSITED  PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION FOUR
 HUNDRED FOUR-OO OF THIS ARTICLE TO THE CREDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR
 VEHICLES DISTINCTIVE PLATE DEVELOPMENT FUND ESTABLISHED BY SECTION NINE-
 TY-FIVE-G OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW AND SHALL BE USED FOR THE PRODUCTION,
 DESIGN, ADVERTISING AND MARKETING OF DISTINCTIVE LICENSE PLATES PURSUANT
 TO SUCH SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G.
   § 2. 1.  A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff of
 the  vehicle  and  traffic law as added by section one of this act shall
 only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to  the  depart-
 ment  of  motor  vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of six thousand
 dollars, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized  by  the
 department  of  financial  services  to transact business in this state.
 Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have
 received prior to plate design, production and  issuance  at  least  two
 hundred  orders  for such distinctive plate together with the additional
 annual service charge applicable to each  such  order,  which  shall  be
 non-refundable,  no  such  surety  bond  shall  be required. All service
 charges collected pursuant to this section shall be  deposited  pursuant
 to  the  provisions  of section 404-oo of the vehicle and traffic law to
 the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate  devel-
 opment  fund  established  by  section 95-g of the state finance law and
 shall be used for the design, production, advertising  and  distribution
 of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g.
   2.  If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which
 distinctive plates in the  series  are  first  available  for  sale  two
 hundred  or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant
 to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
 such plates are sold by such time, such department shall be entitled  to
 recover against the bond in an amount proportionate to such shortfall.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this
 act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, the  addition,
 amendment  and/or  repeal  of  any  rule or regulation necessary for the
 implementation of this act on its  effective  date  are  authorized  and
 directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.